Introducing our next guest chef, Brianna Buffington of Lemon Hill. Brianna is a true ray of sunshine and a natural talent in the kitchen. She is also one of the most stylish people we know, her foraged flower arrangements are out of this world! We love her for so many reasons and are lucky that she is part of our family as Stefan's partner. Brianna has chops, serving as sous chef for Thomas Keller and following her curiosity in wine with several years in the cellar. She has now returned to cooking, her true love. Brianna and her team are cooking for private events at farms, homes and wineries in Sonoma county and beyond. Fortunately for all of us Lemon Hill has opened a popup window on Fridays in old town Santa Rosa. Stop by for a rotating menu including heavenly pizzas, pasta, seafood and other fresh, market driven dishes! Follow @lemonhillca for menu drops and details. Brianna is also launching a food and wine newsletter called Highway 29, so stay tuned for that!

Between prepping her next pop up and catching some waves Brianna was kind enough to create a delightful recipe for Garlic and Esplette Prawns with a Spring Salad. "The Rosé is a beautiful foil for the brininess of the prawns and the herbs in the salad. This recipe is an effortless, understated, yet memorable pairing. I love how Lorenza Rosé can be so complimentary to seafood. It feels inspired by the Mediterranean but a California representation. Easy-going and fresh!" - Brianna

Follow @lemonhillca

Q+A

LORENZA ROSÉ: Where do you cook?
BRIANNA BUFFINGTON: Besides my home kitchen, I cook out of a commissary kitchen in Santa Rosa. The same commissary is the home to my once-weekly pop-up starting in May.

LR: Where did the name Lemon Hill come from?
BB: Fun fact, it's the name of the street I grew up on in Sacramento.

LR: What inspires you to cook?
BB: The seasons and farmers of Sonoma County. Bringing people together. It’s also just fun!

LR: What is inspiring you these days?
BB: Simplicity.

LR: What is the soundtrack of your life?
BB: Here’s a playlist to answer that!

LR: What is your favorite ingredient this spring?
BB: Artichokes.

LR: What would the title of your memoir be?
BB: Sunshine and Ravioli.

LR: Best bite you had recently?
BB: Freshly shucked oysters from Stillwater in Fairfax.

LR: What do you want to make next?
BB: A chilled noodle salad with lots of fresh herbs, toasted almonds, and a lemon/Calabrian chili vinaigrette. Also rhubarb sorbet.

RECIPES:

GARLIC + ESPELETTE PRAWNS

INGREDIENTS:

5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
16 large unpeeled head-on prawns
½ tsp espelette pepper
½ tsp sweet paprika
½ cup Lorenza Rosé
2 tbsp unsalted butter
salt to taste

PROCESS:

• Pour the olive oil into a pan on medium-high heat.
• When the oil is heated, add garlic—Sauté for approximately 1-2 minutes, until the garlic turns lightly golden.
• Add the prawns to the pan and sear over high heat for 2 minutes then flip and add the espelette, paprika, and a large pinch of salt.
• To finish, add the Lorenza rosé to the pan and let it simmer vigorously for another 2 minutes or until mostly evaporated and the prawns are cooked through. Stir in the butter, remove from the heat, and serve with lemon wedges.

SPRING SALAD WITH SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE

VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS:

1 small to medium shallot, finely diced, rinsed with cold water, strained and set aside
1 small garlic clove
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sherry vinegar 
4 sprigs of fresh thyme, stems removed
1 ¼  tsp dijon mustard
1 ¼  tsp whole-grain mustard
2 tsp honey
1-1 ¼ tsp salt (diamond crystal kosher salt or sea salt)
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

SALAD INGREDIENTS:

½ small head of frisée
2 endives 
3-4 heads of little gem lettuce
2 tbsp toasted pepitas
1 small bunch of fresh mint leaves picked
Parmesan Reggiano, large shavings, enough to generously top the salad (optional)
4-5 tablespoons of the prepared vinaigrette

PROCESS:

• Add the diced and rinsed shallot to a medium-sized bowl and add one tablespoon of warm water plus the sherry vinegar. 
• Microplane the garlic clove into the same bowl and add all other ingredients except the oil. Give it a brief whisk.
• With the olive oil in a pouring vessel, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl while whisking vigorously until slightly thick and emulsified. Store in the fridge for up to a month.
• Coat the sides of a large mixing bowl with some of the vinaigrette and add the greens and mint leaves. Toss well and top with the toasted pepitas and shaved parmesan. 
• Serve on its own or with baguette, garlic espelette prawns, and Lorenza Rosé! 

Fun variations for the salad:

• swap the sherry vinegar for fresh lemon juice or champagne vinegar
• add tuna confit, jammy eggs, or roasted chicken and farro
• add fresh vegetables such as spring peas 
• top with your favorite cheese and other toasted nuts or seeds 
• add dried or fresh fruit such as dates, apricots, or citrus
• swap the mint for any fresh herbs you like